We've been wondering what new stunt McCain could create to change the subject and drive the news cycle closer to the election. Well, the Sunday Times Washington-based reporter has uncovered it. Join me below:
From the Sunday Times of London
In an election campaign notable for its surprises, Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, may be about to spring a new one — the wedding of her pregnant teenage daughter to her ice-hockey-playing fiancé before the November 4 election.
Inside John McCain’s campaign the expectation is growing that there will be a popularity boosting pre-election wedding in Alaska between Bristol Palin, 17, and Levi Johnston, 18, her schoolmate and father of her baby. "It would be fantastic," said a McCain insider. "You would have every TV camera there. The entire country would be watching. It would shut down the race for a week."
There is already some urgency to the wedding as Bristol, who is six months pregnant, may not want to walk down the aisle too close to her date of delivery. She turns 18 on October 18, a respectable age for a bride — and the same age as Barack Obama’s pregnant mother when she married his Kenyan father. The Democrat has already declared Bristol’s private life off-limits as far as his campaign is concerned.
Announcing the wedding this week will drive the media cycle until Nov. 4. A wedding on Saturday, Nov. 1, would fit perfectly.
This sounds like a hoax but given McCain's first three stunts - Paris, Sarah and "suspending" his campaign - this one actually makes more sense.
But, they had to drag Bristol's boyfriend to be paraded in front of the TV cameras at the RNC convention. They would have to pay the guy to marry her and promise to anul the marriage after the election.
The VP debate this week has the potential to be awful for Palin if her recent interviews are any indication. A wedding, a grandson and an infant son are just the right excuses for her to bailout or at least help change the subject closer to the election.
And, the Washington Post is reporting that McCain doesn't want to talk about the economy.
From the Washington Post
McCain Ready for A Change Of Subject
Credit Crisis Has Given Obama a Distinct Edge
In the two weeks that the Wall Street financial crisis has dominated the political debate, the presidential race has shifted from what had been essentially a dead heat to one in which Sen. Barack Obama has opened up a narrow but perceptible advantage nationally, as well as in a number of battleground states.
The burden now falls on Sen. John McCain to reverse the effects of the focus on the economy, and to keep the contest close enough so that a dominant debate performance, a gaffe by Obama or some outside event can shift the momentum back to him.
McCain advisers are well aware that the past two weeks have brought a shift in the race, but they say that between now and Election Day, there is plenty of time for the fortunes of the two candidates to change again.
Now, can McCain get Bush to host the wedding at the White House just like the staged meeting last week?
Take the poll.